The app itself is fine -- it's probably not going to move the needle much for Bing's share of the search market, but it probably didn't take much work to make, either -- but it's the move itself that is more significant.

Microsoft is smart to realize that Apple has created a mobile app platform that people actually use. And as the world's leading software company, Microsoft must now make apps for it -- even if it looks bad because the iPhone is eating Windows Mobile's lunch. So, nice job!

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First off, as a competitor to Google, this is a must-do move. If they want consumers to start going to Bing instead of Google for their search-related needs, they have to be on every platform where Google is.

Second, as you cited, Dan, as the company founded on the mission of making software for microprocessors, the iPhone platform is a bona fide standard and at this point they can no longer put their head and the sand and try to pretend the iPhone doesn't exist. They gotta dip in there and do the old embrace & extend dance they used to do so well.

I'm also happy to see that Apple approved the app. It would be wise for MSFT to follow SAI's now longstanding advice to make official Microsoft apps for the iPhone. This is an impressive start. As you said, Dan, not because it was any great leap of technology to build the app but rather a major political hurdle to the internal culture perpetuated by Ballmer. It is an acknowledgment of sorts that the iPhone exists and the iPhone OS is not only a bona fide platform but one large enough that Ballmer swallowed a little of his pride and allowed this build to venture beyond the Redmond campus.